Waterloo Bridge, Road bridge in central London, England
Waterloo Bridge is a road crossing in central London stretching from the Lambeth side to Westminster over the Thames, built from five broad reinforced concrete sections. The deck spans around 25 meters wide, with granite paving on both sides providing pedestrian pathways.
The present bridge replaced an earlier structure from 1817, with construction beginning in 1942 during wartime. Full completion arrived in 1945 once the European conflict had ended.
The bridge earned the nickname Ladies' Bridge because 350 women worked on the construction site during the Second World War and performed all on-site operations. A plaque on the southern approach commemorates their work.
Pedestrians have free access across the bridge at all times, walking on pathways on both sides while enjoying views west toward Parliament and east toward river sights. The bridge remains accessible to vehicles as it forms part of the A301 road.
The bridge construction was remarkable because it took place during active air raids and the structure even sustained bomb damage. Yet the work continued and the bridge was completed despite these wartime hazards.
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